Canada’s Health Care System

What I am reading about Canada’s FREE health care system is a big laugh. Having lived and resided in Canada and being a Canadian citizen, I must emphasize: “Canada’s health care system is not FREE.”

In fact, in most provinces it costs a fortune to just get a diagnostic test. Because of extreme long wait times, patients are forced to use private clinics, which at the same time is in fact not allowed by the individual Provincial governments, who are supposed to provide health care insurance. By far I would say, that British Columbia is one of the worst.

Listening to overseas relatives who can have any diagnostic tests multiple times if needed in a short span of time, in my over forty years in Canada I have had only one MRI test. They cost over $1,000 if paid privately.

When moving from Alberta to BC, I had actually been advised to be smart and get most important tests done prior to my move, because BC’s health care system is one big mess. That had been sixteen years ago.

And this is not even the worst in a system that is suffering questionable management. We not only need (often life-saving) tests, but also doctors. Because doctors are not paid sufficiently, they lack the motivation to go out there and do menial medical procedures.

This is totally understandable. So, where does this system break down ?

One thing is sure, Canada’s health care system is not FREE, only for those who do not pay into it, like the homeless, drug addicts and drifters.